TURNING POINTS by Maggie Thompson
Here’s the latest installment of Maggie Thompson’s ongoing look at important beginnings, middles, and ends, this time for May 1-7, 2020…
275 years ago May 5, 1745 Swedish caricaturist and autobiographical comics pioneer Carl August Ehrensvärd is born.
155 years ago May 5, 1865 German artist Eugen Von Baumgarten is born. He draws political cartoons as “E. Vaube” and runs his own publishing house.
150 years ago May 6, 1870 Political cartoonist John T. McCutcheon is born.
140 years ago May 4, 1880 Writer-artist Robert Moore Brinkerhoff is born. The editorial cartoonist creates the Little Mary Mixup strip.
135 years ago May 1, 1885 Controversial and influential French caricaturist André Gill dies, age 44. He is credited with pioneering the practice of drawing a large head on a small body.
135 years ago May 2, 1885 Cartoonist Lee W. Stanley is born. He creates The Old Home Town panel cartoons.
135 years ago May 7, 1885 Character actor George “Gabby” Hayes is born. His roles as a cowboy sidekick lead to licensing his name and image in Fawcett comic books.
125 years ago May 5, 1895 Richard Outcault’s Hogan’s Alley begins its color publication in Pulitzer’s New York World.
120 years ago May 6, 1900 The Danish artist Vilhelm Hansen is born. He’s known for co-creation (with Carla Hansen) of Rasmus Klump.
115 years ago May 5, 1905 Mickey Mouse comic strip artist Floyd Gottfredson is born.
110 years ago May 4, 1910 Popeye and NEA artist Bill Zaboly is born.
110 years ago May 5, 1910 Belgian author Octave Joly is born. He writes Les Belles Histoires de l’Oncle Paul for Spirou.
95 years ago May 3, 1925 Alain Saint-Ogan’s Zig et Puce first appears in l’Excelsior’s Dimanche Illustré supplement.
95 years ago May 3, 1925 Award-winning actress Rosemary Rice is born. While she’s best known for her performance on the Mama TV show, she also plays Betty Cooper on the Archie Andrews Show radio series.
80 years ago May 1, 1940 Artist Alex Niño is born. He’s especially known for his work on DC, Marvel, and Warren science fiction and fantasy stories. For DC, he co-creates (with Robert Kanigher) “Captain Fear” and (with Jack Oleck) “Space Voyagers.”
80 years ago May 4, 1940 Artist John Ridgway is born. He’s especially known for his work on Judge Dredd, Doctor Who, and Hellblazer.
65 years ago May 2, 1955 Cartoonist Jerry Scott is born. He co-creates Baby Blues (with Rick Kirkman) and Zits (with Jim Borgman) after working on Nancy.
55 years ago May 2, 1965 The last installment of Right around Home appears.
55 years ago May 3, 1965 Bud Blake’s Tiger strip begins.
50 years ago May 3, 1970 Artist Ken Kling dies at age 74. He created the Joe Quince and Windy Riley strips.
45 years ago May 1, 1975 Spanish artist José Peñarroya dies at age 64 or 65.
45 years ago May 4, 1975 Moe Howard (born Moe Horwitz) dies of a stroke at age 77. The leader of the Three Stooges characters, he and the other Stooges appeared in comics and cartoons. He was the father of Joan Howard, who married comics’ Norman Maurer, who became the Stooges’ manager and involved the characters in comics.
45 years ago May 5, 1975 Animator and Sad Sack creator George Baker dies at age 59.
40 years ago May 5, 1980 Writer-artist Carl Pfeufer dies at age 69. He co-created Don Dixon with Bob Moore and Super Green Beret with Otto Binder. He was a member of the Funnies, Inc. studio, where he drew Sub-Mariner, and he drew Tom Mix stories for Fawcett.
40 years ago May 5, 1980 The Swedish writer who created the inventive farmer Åsa-Nisse, Stig Cederholm, dies at age 75.
35 years ago May 5, 1985 Finnish artist, creator of the Rymy-Eetu strip, Erkki Tanttu dies at age 77.
30 years ago May 7, 1990 The Italian artist Pier Lorenzo De Vita dies at age 80. He created Tuffolino and then produced comics stories of Disney characters.
25 years ago May 5, 1995 Chinese pioneering manhua artist Ye Qianyu dies at age 88. He created Mr. Wang.
25 years ago May 6, 1995 Animator, cartoonist, director, and producer Isadore “Friz” Freling dies at age 88.
15 years ago May 2, 2005 Prolific Turkish artist Sahap Ayhan dies at age 78 or 79.
15 years ago May 5, 2005 George Pérez signs a five-year exclusive contract with DC (and is followed by J.G. Jones and Bart Sears later in the month).
15 years ago May 4, 2005 Cartoonist Don Trachte dies at age 89. He assisted Carl Anderson on Henry and then worked on the Sunday strip following Anderson’s death.
10 years ago May 3, 2010 Writer Peter O’Donnell, who contributed to Garth and Romeo Brown and created Modesty Blaise, dies at the age of 90.
10 years ago May 7, 2010 Iron Man 2 opens in America. The sequel to Iron Man (2008) returns Robert Downey, Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, and others to their roles in the first film and grosses more than $600 million in theaters worldwide.
5 years ago May 3, 2015 The newspaper feature Grin and Bear It ends.
5 years ago May 7, 2015 Australian artist John Dixon dies following a stroke at age 86. He was best known for his strip Air Hawk and the Flying Doctors.
And here are the anniversaries spanning the month of May…
80 years ago May 1940 Quality’s Crack Comics #1 introduces Madam Fatal, drawn by Art Pinajian. The Grand Comics Database suggests that that makes Richard Stanton the “first cross-dressing superhero.” I’m not sure how super he is, but what the heck. There are other intros in the issue, including The Black Condor, written by Will Eisner and drawn by Lou Fine.
80 years ago May 1940 Tem Publishing Co. introduces Strongman, “the perfect human,” and Blue Streak in Crash Comics Adventures #1. It’s the first from that short-lived company.
80 years ago May 1940 Big Shot Comics #1 features a bunch of existing characters (Charlie Chan, Joe Palooka, The Bungles) and introduces Spy-Master and The Face by Mart Bailey and Skyman by Gardner Fox and Ogden Whitney. It’s also the first title from the Columbia Comics Group. On the cover, by the way, Skyman is set to rescue existing comic strip character Dixie Dugan from kidnappers in an oddball crossover.
80 years ago May 1940 They don’t get so much as a tip of the hat on the cover, but DC’s More Fun Comics #55 introduces Doctor Fate and Inza in a story by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman.
80 years ago May 1940 Hot dog! “World famous detective solves an exciting mystery – a complete crime case in this issue!” says “A Scoop!” on the cover of Whitman’s Crackajack Funnies #23. “The Adventure of the Coffin Clue,” drawn by Bill Ely, introduces Ellery Queen (created more than a decade earlier) to comic books.
80 years ago May 1940 Hyper Mystery Comics #1 (the only title from Hyper Publications) introduces (who else?) Hyper, the Phenomenal, drawn by Reginald Greenwood. “It’s New! Different! Adventure Romance Action Thrills” – and it lasts two issues.
80 years ago May 1940 Dell’s Popular Comics #51 introduces The Voice (“the Invisible Detective”), drawn by Jim Chambers. His adventures only appear until #75, two years later. Would Tim Brant in his “invisible suit” have been more successful as a radio character? (Oh, wait. The Shadow’s on-air skills have already clouded men’s minds so they couldn’t see him for more than two years. Never mind.)
80 years ago May 1940 Fiction House’s Jumbo Comics #15 provides the first appearance of Lightning (and Dr. Evil
70 years ago May 1950 Dell Four Color #278 marks the first comic book appearance of Western movie star Wild Bill Elliott. 70 years ago May 1950 Bobby Benson’s B-Bar-B Riders #1 from Magazine Enterprises is the first comic book appearance of Bobby Benson, who has already starred in Mutual radio stories of “action and adventure in the modern West!” (How many collectors today would have heard of Bobby, if it hadn’t been for the gorgeous Frazetta cover of #11? But several other covers will be drawn by the great Bob Powell; just saying.) 70 years ago May 1950 Superbaby is introduced in DC’s Superboy #8. “When Superboy Was a Superbaby” is by Bill Finger, Curt Swan, and John Fischetti. 70 years ago May 1950 E.C. introduces “a new trend in magazines,” when A Moon, a Girl … Romance becomes Weird Fantasy with #13: “Fantastic SuspenStories we dare you to read!” 65 years ago May 1955 Marvel’s Black Knight #1 introduces Black Knight, “the greatest knight of them all!” in stories conveying “thrills from King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table!” I say thee woo hoo to tales by Stan Lee and Joe Maneely! 55 years ago May 1965 In Charlton’s Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds #46, Johnny Mann becomes Son of Vulcan, who speaks some of the least traditional archaic English of the 1960s. (I seem to remember the word “thouest” in one of the stories. But I may digress.) “A Mighty Champion Is Born!” in the story by Pat Masulli, Bill Fraccio, and Tony Tallarico more than two years after Marvel’s Journey into Mystery #83 featured Dr. Don Blake becoming Thor. 55 years ago May 1965 Marvel’s The X-Men #11 introduces The Stranger, who’s collecting mutants in “The Triumph of Magneto!” by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone. 55 years ago May 1965 In Marvel’s Tales of Suspense #65, The Red Skull first appears in the Silver Age. Or does he? “The Red Skull Strikes!” is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, and Chic Stone. 55 years ago May 1965 Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! DC’s Batman #171 introduces The Riddler to the Silver Age in a story by Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff, and Joe Giella. 55 years ago May 1965 In a “spectacular special issue” that is “the start of a great new Avengers line-up,” Marvel’s The Avengers #16 introduces, yes, a new Avengers line-up. “The Old Order Changeth!” is by Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers, and Carl Hubbell. (Cap becomes the leader, for starters.) 55 years ago May 1965 Ik! Lightning Lad loses an arm in “The Super-Moby Dick of Space!” (It’s written by award-winning science fiction author Edmond Hamilton, by the way.) Aw, come on, Superboy! Can’t you let him get a little revenge for losing an arm in DC’s Adventure Comics #332? (Art is by John Forte and George Klein.) 45 years ago May 1975 The Joker might be the first regular series to star a villain; it won’t be the last. “The Joker’s Double Jeopardy!” is by Denny O’Neil, Irv Novick, and Dick Giordano. 45 years ago May 1975 Giant-Size X-Men #1 knocks the figurative socks off many Marvel fans, when Len Wein and Dave Cockrum offer “Second Genesis,” in which Professor X puts together a new team of X-Men in a story that introduces Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Thunderbird. 45 years ago May 1975 OK, right, Tor originally appeared in comics from St. John. But now, it’s a couple of decades later, and DC introduces Joe Kubert’s character to a new audience in Tor #1. 45 years ago May 1975 Supernatural librarian Lucien is introduced in DC’s Weird Mystery Tales #18 and Tales of Ghost Castle #1 in material mostly written by Paul Levitz. We’ll see Lucien again starting in 1989 in Sandman #2 – when he’s envisioned by Neil Gaiman. 45 years ago May 1975 DC’s Claw the Unconquered #1 introduces (you got it!) Claw the Unconquered (“The World Trembles before the Blade Of …”) in “The Sword and the Silent Scream!” by David Michelinie and Ernie Chan. 40 years ago May 1980 In “The Man Who Walked with Beasts” by Gerry Conway, Jose Delbo, and Vince Colletta, DC’s Wonder Woman #267 reintroduces Animal Man. (His last previous appearance was in Strange Adventures #201 (June 1967) in “The Mod Gorilla Boss!” drawn by Jack Sparling.) 35 years ago May 1985 DC’s Sgt. Rock #400 features “Easy’s 400th” by Robert Kanigher and Adrian Gonzales – and Robin Snyder’s list of all the soldiers who have appeared in Easy Company. 35 years ago May 1985 DC’s The Shadow War of Hawkman by Tony Isabella, Richard Howell, and Alfredo Alcala begins. 35 years ago May 1985 OK, the peril faced by an assortment of universes continues in DC’s Crisis on Infinite Earths #2. In this installment, readers are introduced to The Anti-Monitor in “Time and Time Again!” by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Dick Giordano. 35 years ago May 1985 He appeared the month before, but DC’s Tales of the Teen Titans #53 has the first full appearance of Azrael in “Devil on the Wing!” by Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, Rich Buckler, and Mike DeCarlo. 35 years ago May 1985 “Warhunt 2” in Marvel’s The Uncanny X-Men #193 has the first appearance of Thunderbird/Warpath in costume. He’s asked to join The X-Men in the story by Chris Claremont, John Romita, Jr., and Dan Green. 30 years ago May 1990 In “Life’s Blood” by Howard Mackie, Javier Saltares, and Mark Texeira, Marvel’s Ghost Rider #1 features the first full appearance of the new Ghost Rider (Dan Ketch). “A spirit reborn!” – as the cover says. 30 years ago May 1990 Marvel’s Silver Surfer #37 provides a full reintroduction of Drax the Destroyer in “A Destructive Encounter” by Jim Starlin, Ron Lim, and Tom Christopher. 25 years ago May 1995 “Continuing the tradition of greatness! The 64-page 400th issue!” is, yes, Marvel’s Fantastic Four #400. There’s a whole bunch of stuff (and characters) in stories by Tom DeFalco, Paul Ryan, and Danny Bulanadi. 25 years ago May 1995 In DC’s Superman #100, “The Death of Clark Kent” is by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, and Josef Rubinstein. 20 years ago May 2000 DC kicks off a series based on the Cartoon Network show with The Powerpuff Girls #1. “Squirrelly Burly” is by Jennifer Moore, Sean Carolan, and Phil Moy. 20 years ago May 2000 DC’s Sins of Youth event features Klarion the Witch Boy changing the ages of DC characters, with adults becoming teens and teens becoming adults. Characters involved include Aquaboy/Lagoon Man; Batboy/Robin; JLA, Jr./Kid Flash/Impulse; Starwoman/Junior Society; Superman, Jr./Superboy, Sr.; Secret/Deadboy; Wonder Girls; and Young Justice. 20 years ago May 2000 Marvel’s X-Men #100 has nine variant editions. “End of Days” is by Chris Claremont, Leinil Francis Yu, and Mark Morales. 10 years ago May 2010 In DC’s American Vampire #1, Rafael Albuquerque illustrates stories by Scott Snyder and Stephen King. 10 years ago May 2010 DC’s First Wave #1 brings together classic characters in a story by Brian Azzarello and Rags Morales. 10 years ago May 2010 Hey, what if a bunch o’ creators got a bunch o’ characters together? Just a thought … Marvel’s Girl Comics #1 features Colleen Coover, G. Willow Wilson, Ming Doyle, Trina Robbins, Stephanie Buscema, Flo Steinberg, Valerie D’Orazio, Nikki Cook, Sana Takeda, Lucy Knisley, Marie Severin, Robin Furth, Agnes Garbowska, Devin Grayson, and Emma Rios. 10 years ago May 2010 How to drive fans nuts: Marvel’s Millar & McNiven’s Nemesis #1 (by, yes, Mark Millar and Steve McNiven) is not to be confused with DC’s Nemesis: The Imposters #1 (by Ivan Brandon and Cliff Richards). 10 years ago May 2010 Yes, they’re Marvel’s Ultimate New Ultimates #1. “Thor Reborn” is by Jeph Loeb and Frank Cho. 5 years ago May 2015 In the midst of its “All-New” titles (Captain America, Invaders, Ultimates, X-Men, etc.), Marvel launches All-New Hawkeye #1 with five variants. Oh, and its All-New Ghost Rider wraps up with #12. 5 years ago May 2015 DC’s Batman: Arkham Knight #1 (otherwise known as “The Official Prequel to the Arkham Trilogy Finale”) is by Peter J. Tomasi, Viktor Bogdanovic, and Art Thibert. 5 years ago May 2015 With nine variants, Dark Horse’s Fight Club 2 kicks off a 10-issue series with “The Tranquility Gambit #1: Keep the Home Fires Burning” by Chuck Palahniuk and Cameron Stewart. 5 years ago May 2015 And, yes, Marvel’s Howard the Duck #1 has 10 variants (in the course of three printings). “Trapped in a world he’s grown accustomed to,” he stars in a story by Chip Zdarsky and Joe Quinones. 5 years ago May 2015 Marvel’s Princess Leia #1 has (ummm, yes) 22 variants. It’s illustrated by Terry and Rachel Dodson, and Mark Waid’s first line of dialogue is “Hhhggrhh.”
